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Spotted Wing Drosophila

Photo: Hannah Burrack, North Carolina State University, Bugwood.org

Photo: Hannah Burrack, North Carolina State University, Bugwood.org

What are they?

Spotted wing drosophila is a small vinegar fly from East Asia that lays its eggs in softer, thin-skinned fruits, such as berries. Spotted wing drosophila are able to lay its eggs in healthy fruit that is still ripening, as opposed to other vinegar flies that only attack rotting fruit.

What should I do if I find one?

How can we stop them?

Spotted wing drosophila occur throughout Washington. To reduce damage, home gardeners and farmers can use pesticide treatments, apply physical barriers, sanitize their gardens, and reduce adjacent alternative hosts such as Himalayan blackberry. Learn more about management in the home garden.

What are their characteristics?

Tan body, red eyes.

Males have dark spots on the ends of their wings; females are more difficult to identify.

Larvae start small and typically go unnoticed until the fruit becomes rotten, but their presence may be indicated by small dark spots on fruits and rapid molding.

Small dark tan pupae may often be seen protruding from the surface of the infested fruit.

How do I distinguish them from native species?

There are a number of other fruit-infesting maggots, and distinguishing them from spotted wing drosophila can be difficult. The spotted wing on the male is distinctive. If you suspect you have an infestation, contact contact your local Washington State University Extension agent, Washington State Department of Agriculture, or the Washington Department of Natural Resources.